1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to holsters and, more specifically, to a holster having a reinforced frontal lip, providing the necessary rigidity for one-hand reholstering while preserving the thinness and concealability of the holster.
2. Description of the Related Art
Holsters intended for discreetly carrying a defensive handgun have been in existence since guns were first made small enough for concealed carry. Today, such holsters are used both by plainclothes or off duty police officers and by an increasing number of private citizens who have felt a need to take precautions to ensure their safety.
Most people who carry a handgun prefer to carry it at belt level, positioned on or slightly behind the strong side hip. A few prefer to carry the gun on or slightly in front of the weak side hip, commonly known as crossdraw carry.
One of the most popular styles of concealment holsters is the inside waistband holster. Such holsters are worn inside the waistband of the wearer's pants, slightly behind the strong side hip, with only the upper lip of the holster and grip of the gun protruding from the pants. A belt clip or loop secures the holster to the wearer's belt. The top of the holster is covered by a jacket, sweater, or untucked shirt. This type of holster is especially popular with police, because the draw from this type of holster is very similar to the draw from a duty holster, providing for simplified training and practice.
To be truly useful, such a holster must be able to perform several functions well. First, it must be easily concealed to avoid unnecessarily alarming casual observers, which is accomplished in part by keeping the thickness of the holster's leather to a minimum. Second, it must be comfortable to wear for long periods of time. Third, it must hold the gun securely in place. Fourth, it must provide quick access to the gun so that the wearer can respond properly to unexpected emergencies. Fifth, it should ideally allow for reholstering the gun using only one hand. This last function is particularly important for police, who must frequently control a suspect with one hand while reholstering a gun with the other.
Current inside waistband holsters come in two basic types. The first type is constructed of flexible, unmolded leather or nylon. This construction has several disadvantages. These holsters are not sufficiently snug fitting to hold a gun in place, and usually require the use of a safety strap passing over the gun's hammer. Even with safety straps equipped with thumb breaks, access to the gun is slowed. When the gun is drawn, belt pressure on the holster immediately causes it to collapse, requiring the wearer to use two hands in reholstering the gun.
The second type of inside waistband holster is made from rigid leather, molded in the shape of the specific gun to be used with the holster. This type of holster usually has an additional molded leather reinforcement around the front and sides of the gun pocket, and frequently includes a metal reinforcement between the holster body and leather reinforcement. The molded leather fits the gun very closely, providing a high degree of friction between the holster and gun. This friction is sufficient to hold a gun in place without the need for a safety strap, providing the fastest possible access to the gun. These holsters will remain open when the gun is drawn, allowing a the wearer to reholster the gun with one hand, without looking at the holster. However, the total thickness which must be concealed includes the gun, two layers of holster body (one on each side of the gun), two additional layers of leather reinforcement, and possible two layers of metal. All of this added thickness can create a noticeable bulge in the wearer's clothing, revealing the presence of the gun. Additionally, the holster takes up more room inside the wearer's waistband, decreasing comfort, and requiring the purchase of larger size pants.
The same considerations are also important for strong side and crossdraw holsters worn outside the belt. They must hold the gun discreetly, securely, and comfortably, and they must provide immediate access to the gun when needed. They should allow for reholstering with one hand, in case only one hand is available for the task. Ideally, they should be reinforced at the lip sufficiently so that the holster retains it's shape regardless of whether or not it contains the gun, but the holster should not add significantly to the total thickness which must be concealed.
Some holster makers have proposed the use of plastic instead of leather for holster construction, thereby providing rigidity without the necessity of using thick reinforcements. Such plastics, however, lack the aesthetic qualities of a molded leather holster.
The best examples of current holsters and reinforcement methods are shown in the catalogs of several holster manufacturers. For example, a catalog for Bianchi International from 1996 shows an inside waistband holster having a swivel mounted belt loop, and two unreinforced inside waistband holsters.
Second, a catalog for Milt Sparks Holsters, Inc. from 1996 shows several inside waistband holsters having metal reinforced front and sides, and interchangeable belt loops. One of these holsters has leather panels in front of and behind the gun pocket to enhance comfort, and another includes a waterproof membrane between layers of leather.
Third, a catalog from Galco from 1997 shows an inside waistband holster positioned behind the small of the back for a cavalry-style twist draw, two inside waistband holsters having frontal and side reinforcement and interchangeable belt loops, one of which has a rear mounted belt loop, an inside waistband magazine pouch, a pair of unreinforced holsters, an inside waistband holster intended to fit totally below the waistband, and a holster having the belt clip attached to a leather flange protruding from the bottom of the holster, allowing the wearer to tuck in his shirt around the holster.
Fourth, a catalog for Mitch Rosen from 1997 shows a variety of inside waistband holsters, all of which have front and side reinforcement. Most of them have rear mounted belt loops. One has a rear mounted belt loop in conjunction with a centrally mounted belt loop. Another has a leather panel extending below the barrel. One has its belt loop attached to a leather flange so that the wearer can tuck in his shirt around the holster.
A catalog from Michaels of Oregon from 1997 shows an unreinforced nylon inside waistband holster, and a nylon police duty holster having a thermoplastic exoskeleton along the front, sides, and rear for reinforcement.
Additionally, several patents show various proposed holster designs. For example, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 324,773, issued to Alan Baruch on Mar. 24, 1992, shows a design for a strong side belt holster having a thumb break safety strap with an additional safety strap securing the thumb break.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,827,182, issued to Manuel M. Arias on Oct. 13, 1931, describes a revolver holster having a pair of loops on either side of the inside of the holster top. When the revolver is withdrawn, the cylinder catches on the loops, requiring a slight effort to withdraw the revolver. The loops thereby prevent loss of the revolver without the need for a safety strap.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,303,185, issued to Loren R. Shoemaker on Dec. 1, 1981, describes a strong side belt holster having a vertical opening down the front of the holster, a pivot between the grip and trigger guard, and a thumb break safety strap. Drawing the pistol is accomplished by rotating the muzzle through the front opening and grip downward, bringing the pistol horizontal.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,325,506, issued to James W. Lindell and Arthur F. Barnett on Apr. 20, 1982, describes a reinforcement for a holster. The reinforcement is a pliable material along the top of the outer and rear portions of the holster, and a rivet passing through both the pliable material on either side of the rear of the holster.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,463,884, issued to Henry J. Parlante on Aug. 7, 1984, describes a security holster for a revolver. The holster has a W-shaped spring in front, pulling the two sides of the holster together, and the rear portion of the top, covering the trigger guard, is closed. This pushes the revolver rearward so that the revolver's trigger guard is underneath the closed portion of the holster top, preventing a person from removing the revolver by pulling it rearward.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,645,103, issued to John E. Bianchi, Wayne B. Gregory, and Richard D. E. Nichols on Feb. 24, 1987, describes a holster having a body constructed from closed cell foam surrounded by nylon, a stiffening member forming a front sight channel, and a safety strap secured to the back of the holster by hook and loop fasteners, allowing the length and position of the safety strap to be adjusted to accommodate different handguns. This design, while good for its intended purpose as a belt holster, will not function as an inside waistband holster. A front stiffening member, by itself, will be insufficient to keep such a holster open when the gun is drawn, because the closed cell foam and nylon construction has insufficient rigidity to be held open merely by frontal reinforcement.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,199,620, issued to Robert J. Beletsky on Apr. 6, 1993, describes a security holster. The holster has a safety strap with a thumb break. The thumb break rotates from a vertical position wherein it is used in the conventional manner to release the safety strap, and a horizontal position wherein it locks the safety strap in place.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,201,447, issued to George Bumb and Gerald L. Campagna on Apr. 13, 1993, describes a holster having a paddle attached to the inside surface for holding the holster on the waistband of a wearer's pants, and a safety strap having two portions attaching to the holster using hook and loop fasteners.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,383, issued to Paris Theodore on May 11, 1993, describes an upside-down shoulder holster, a belt holster, and a pocket holster, all having holster bodies constructed from one piece of material.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,798, issued to Paris Theodore on Oct. 12, 1993, describes an upside-down shoulder holster, a belt holster, and a pocket holster, all having holster bodies constructed from one piece of material.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,501,380, issued to Kuang-Li Wu on Mar. 26, 1996, describes a holster having a safety strap or flap secured around the handgun therein by a combination lock.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,830, issued to Richard E. D. Nichols on Nov. 5, 1996, describes a holster having a rigid spine with vertical grooves on either side, and side panels fastened within those grooves.
European Pat. App. No. 0,312,521, published on Apr. 19, 1989, appears to describe a strong side belt holster.
Despite the wide variety of inside waistband holsters developed by other inventors, the vast majority are either totally unreinforced, allowing them to collapse when the gun is drawn so that two hands are required for reholstering, or have reinforcing which adversely affects the bulkiness and concealability of the holster.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a holster solving the aforementioned problems is desired.